Stiffener for skirt bands and the like



l Nov. 13,1923

1,474,190 1 E. Fox

STIFFENER FOR SKIRT BADS AND THE LIKE Filed Oct. 6. 1922 4 W4 i Fax,"

n of the United States, residing at Satanta,`

in the county of Haskell and State of Kani overlapping,

Patented Nov. 13, 1923.

UNITED STATES- LENA-E. FOX, -OF SATANTA, KANSAS.

srrrrnnnn ron SKIRT` BANDS ann Train LiKE.

application mea october 6.1922.V serial No. 592,801.v

To aZZ whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, LENA E. Fox, a citizen sas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Stiffeners for Skirt Bands and the like; and I do vhereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters and figures of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

This invention .relates to stiffeners for skirt bands and the like and has for an object to provide a stiflenerv of improved type y which may be constructed leconomically and applied successfully and quickly to the v'garment.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the kind composed of two similar or identical units which, by accommodate themselves to bands of different widths for stiffening said bands.

A further object of the invention is to provide a stiti'ener composed of separate parts, preferably, though not necessarily, identical, having overlapping stems with registering perforations, through which said registering perforations stitches may be inserted for the purpose of attaching the stiffening member to the garment part and also to retain it in its relative arrangement.

A further obj ect of the invention is to provide a stiifener composed preferably of similar identical T-shaped members, the Shanks of which are perforated with holes properly spaced to register one with another when the shank of one member is laid over the other, whereby fastenings inserted through such registering perforations will retain the two units with their cross-heads at opposite ends of the shank composed of the overlapping sections.

With these and other objects in view the invention comprises certain novel units, elements, and combinations, as disclosed in the drawings, together with mechanical equivalents thereof, as will be hereinafter more fully described and claimed.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of. a skirt or other waist-encircling garment with a band provided with stieners shown in dotted lines, which form the subject mattei' of the presenti invention;

`Figure 2 is a transverse sectional view through a band.- and the connected garment fabric taken on line 2 2 of Figure l;

Figure 3 is a view of the band seen from the reverse side with one of thev stiffeners, composed of two units inter-engaged, secured thereto; and Y Figure 4 is a perspective view of one of the units. Y

Like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

It is well known that the bands of garments whether such bands be waist bands, wrist bands, neck bands or other bands, become objectionable and uncomfortable by wrinkling and that they maintain the garment in better shape lif the band itselfy can lbe maintained against suchfwrinkling .or

contraction. `The present invention is intended to provide a stiifener which will extend transversely of the band and be secured thereto extending to a position near enough to the opposite edges to prevent the Y tion in terms of identity without limiting it n thereto, one of the units will ybe composed of a T-shaped fiat piece of material having a shank 10 and a cross-head 11. This 'l'- shaped structure may be composed of any desired material, as for instance metal but the mention of metal is not intended as any limitation upon the use of other materials in the construction of the unit. The shank 10 is provided with a plurality of perforations 12 and the cross-head 11 with a plurality of perforations 13.

Inuse'two of the units, as shown at Figure 4, are employed as a single stifener. They are associated by overlapping one of the shanks 10 upon the shank of another unit so that the cross-heads shall be upon opposite ends of the thus-associated structure. The units are moved relative to each other until the cross-heads 1l are properly spaced to correspond approximately or substantially with the opposite edges of the Cil band to be stiened and until the perforations 12 of one unit register with the perforations 12 of the underlying unit. This position having been arrived at, the device thus associated is sewed to the band by means of stitches 14 through the registering openings and stitches 15 through the cross-heads 11. It will'be noted that the stitches 14 are through the registering openings of both units, whereby the device is not only secured to the band 16 but the two units are secured together and against longitudinal movement. As shown at Figure 8, the stitching 14 is applied in two places adjacent the ends of the two units, but it is to be understood that these stitches,ap plied for the purpose of maintaining` the 'units in associated relation, may be applied at such positions and in such numbers as use may require orthe individual wishes of the user may make desirable. The stitches 15 through the cross-heads 13 are simply employed for the purpose ofmaintaining the device upon the band, and while three perforations for the receipt of stitches have been shown in the cross-heads, it is to be understood that the number of holes may be varied as occasion may make desirable. Also, the relative spacing of the perforations 12, as indicated in the drawing, is only suggestive and such .perforations may be made in any mannerl and in any relation and any number, as may be found necessary or desirable. i

What I claim is:

1. A stiifener comprising strips, each composed of a shank and T-head, the Shanks of both being provided with uniformly spaced perforations and being adapted to be moved longitudinally with the Shanks overlapping to produce -the desired combined length with the T-heads at the oppo# site ends of the combined structure and certain of said perforations registering for the receptionof stitches for joining the strips lpermanently to a garment at their combined lengths.

2. A stifener comprising strips provided with uniformly spaced perforations, said strips being adapted to be moved longitudinally relatve to each other to produce the desired combined length with certain A of said perforations registering, and stitches through some of said registering perforations joining said strip permanently at said combined length and to a garment.

p In testimony whereof I hereunto ahx my signature.

p LENA E. Fox. 

